editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Philip Reeves is an award-winning international correspondent covering Pakistan and Afghanistan. Reeves has spent two and half decades working as a journalist overseas, reporting from a wide range of places including the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and Asia. He is a member of the NPR team that won highly prestigious Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University and George Foster Peabody awards for coverage of the conflict in Iraq. Reeves has been honored several times by the South Asian Journalists' Association. Reeves has been covering South Asia for more than 10 years. He has traveled widely in Pakistan and India, taking NPR listeners on voyages along the Ganges River and the ancient Grand Trunk Road. Reeves joined NPR in 2004, after 17 years as a international correspondent for the British daily newspaper, The Independent . During the early stages of his career, he worked for BBC radio and television after training on the Bath Chronicle newspaper in western Britain. Over the years,NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Philip ReevesSun, 24 Sep 2017 04:55:24 +0000Philip Reeveshttp://ktep.org
Philip ReevesBrazil's army says it's dispatching nearly 1,000 troops to the country's largest shanty-town – or "favela" – in the hope of ending a wave of deadly violence that began nearly one week ago. This afternoon military trucks carrying soldiers brandishing assault weapons began rumbling up to the edge of Rocinha, a sprawl of tumble-down hillside homes, shops, narrow streets and tiny alleys in the south of Rio de Janeiro. Trouble erupted within the favela early last Sunday, with a five-hour firefight during which residents say they were forced to dive for cover on the floors of their homes as several hundred well-armed gangsters roamed the streets. The favela – home to an estimated 100,000 people — remained tense in the days that followed, echoing sporadically to the sound of gunfire, and also fireworks set off by the gangsters to warn each other of the approach of the military police. Thousands of Rocinha's children had to stay home this week, because their schools shut down. "My son getsSoldiers Descend On Rio 'Favela' As Shootouts Erupthttp://ktep.org/post/soldiers-descend-rio-favela-shootouts-erupt
115902 as http://ktep.orgSat, 23 Sep 2017 00:35:00 +0000Soldiers Descend On Rio 'Favela' As Shootouts EruptPhilip ReevesVenezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has unveiled an unusual strategy to help ease the chronic food shortage faced by many of his nation's 30 million people — something he calls Plan Conejo, or "Plan Rabbit." Maduro and his ministers are embarking on a somewhat surprising — and to many, alarming — campaign to convince Venezuelans to eat rabbits. They say rabbits will make an excellent source of protein for the large number of people who don't have regular access to red meat or chicken as the result of the country's economic collapse. Maduro hopes the small mammal will counter the impact of what he calls a huge "economic war" waged against him by "imperialists" — notably the United States and his arch-enemy, President Donald Trump. During a strikingly light-hearted televised discussion, a cheerful-looking Maduro told his cabinet on Tuesday that rabbits have the added advantage of, well, "breeding like rabbits." The rabbit plan, however, has already run into a hole. While rabbit dishesLet Them Eat Rabbit Is Venezuelan President's Response To Food Shortageshttp://ktep.org/post/let-them-eat-rabbit-venezuelan-presidents-response-food-shortages
115392 as http://ktep.orgThu, 14 Sep 2017 20:46:00 +0000Let Them Eat Rabbit Is Venezuelan President's Response To Food ShortagesPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, is getting increasingly autocratic. That's making life even more difficult for many Venezuelans. NPR's Philip Reeves was in the capital, Caracas, recently and took a drive around town. He sent us this story about the people he met and their efforts to survive the crisis in their country. (SOUNDBITE OF SIRENS) PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: If you live in Caracas, you need to know how to get your mind off things. Francisco is doing that by working out on a traffic circle in the middle of an avenue lined with trees. There are old iron training machines here that anyone can use. Francisco is doing pull-ups on one of these and trying to forget his life for an hour or two... FRANCISCO: (Speaking Spanish). REEVES: ...By focusing on his pecs. Francisco's 19. He asked NPR to withhold his full name because like many Venezuelans these days, he's worried about what might happen if the authorities find out heVenezuelans Look For New Ways To Cope Amid Increasingly Dire Economic Issueshttp://ktep.org/post/venezuelans-look-new-ways-cope-amid-increasingly-dire-economic-issues
115314 as http://ktep.orgWed, 13 Sep 2017 20:31:00 +0000Venezuelans Look For New Ways To Cope Amid Increasingly Dire Economic IssuesPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: There has been yet another twist in a long-running scandal in Brazil. It has engulfed many of the rich and powerful, including several former Brazilian presidents. NPR's Philip Reeves reports from Rio de Janeiro. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: A jet is flying into a big city. It cruises down from a cloudless, blue sky and gently lands in Brazil's capital, Brasilia. Out of this aircraft steps a casually dressed middle-aged man, accompanied by armed cops in black. The cops escort the man to a car and drive off chased by photographers. That scene led the news here yesterday. It was live on TV and repeated many times. Why? Because the jet belongs to the federal police because the casually dressed man who stepped out of it is a billionaire who almost brought down Brazil's government recently and because he was being driven off to be held in custody, at least for now. The man is Joesley Batista. Batista's the former chair of JBS, the worldBrazilian Meatpacking Tycoon Detained In Corruption Probehttp://ktep.org/post/brazilian-meatpacking-tycoon-detained-corruption-probe
115209 as http://ktep.orgTue, 12 Sep 2017 10:31:00 +0000Brazilian Meatpacking Tycoon Detained In Corruption ProbePhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: As Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, becomes increasingly autocratic, he's gathering enemies. One of the most influential of those is a lawyer from within his own government. She is now in Brazil and speaking out, as NPR's Philip Reeves reports. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) LUISA ORTEGA: (Speaking Spanish). PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: This scene was impossible to imagine just a few months ago. Louisa Ortega, the former attorney general of Venezuela, is standing before the world's TV cameras, accusing her erstwhile ally President Nicolas Maduro of corruption. Ortega was Venezuela's chief prosecutor for almost a decade. For almost all that time, she was loyal to the governments of Hugo Chavez and, after he died, his successor, Maduro. FRANCISCO TORO: She used to be a reliable person that they're going to turn to to get investigations dropped or to get enemies prosecuted. REEVES: Francisco Toro is editor of Caracas Chronicles,Venezuela's Ex-Prosecutor Accuses President Maduro Of Corruptionhttp://ktep.org/post/venezuelan-prosecutor-accuses-president-maduro-corruption
114067 as http://ktep.orgThu, 24 Aug 2017 21:38:00 +0000Venezuela's Ex-Prosecutor Accuses President Maduro Of CorruptionPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit AILSA CHANG, HOST: The U.S. considers Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, a dictator. And it has already imposed three rounds of targeted sanctions against him and those close to him. Now Vice President Mike Pence says more will be coming. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: And you may be assured, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, the United States of America will continue to bring the full measure of American economic and diplomatic power to bear until democracy is restored in Venezuela. (APPLAUSE) DAVID GREENE, HOST: Pence was speaking yesterday in Florida to a group of Venezuelan exiles. Trump earlier this month even threatened the possibility of military action against the regime. But Pence now says the White House is confident they can achieve a peaceable solution. CHANG: Meanwhile in Venezuela, Maduro is rapidly consolidating his authoritarian rule. And while large street protests against the rulingVenezuelan Protests Simmer, But The 'Resistance' Is Still Alivehttp://ktep.org/post/venezuelan-protests-simmer-resistance-still-alive
114022 as http://ktep.orgThu, 24 Aug 2017 09:24:00 +0000Venezuelan Protests Simmer, But The 'Resistance' Is Still AlivePhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: In Venezuela, the increasingly authoritarian government of President Nicolas Maduro has thrown its opposition in disarray. It's effectively stripped the elected parliament of power. It's ordered five opposition mayors to leave their posts and be placed under arrest, and it's fired the nation's attorney general, who now says she fears for her life. NPR's Philip Reeves joins us now from Venezuela's capital, Caracas. And Philip, just what is the mood on the streets there now? PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Well, I've been driving around Caracas, and the first impression actually that you get - just first impression is that it's remarkably normal, especially when you compare it with a short while ago when there were an awful lot of National Guard troops and police with riot gear out on the streets during the time that the protests were really at the height. Today, the buses are running, it seems, and there's a lot of traffic, and peopleOpposition Parties Prepare Bid To Challenge Venezuela's Presidenthttp://ktep.org/post/opposition-parties-prepare-bid-challenge-venezuelas-president
113173 as http://ktep.orgThu, 10 Aug 2017 20:27:00 +0000Opposition Parties Prepare Bid To Challenge Venezuela's PresidentPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit AILSA CHANG, HOST: Several countries are increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as he continues moving forward with plans to rewrite the country's constitution and consolidate his power. Neighboring Latin American countries condemned Maduro's actions at a meeting this week. Peru's foreign minister says his country is concerned about a migration crisis if a low-intensity civil war were to break out. And now, the U.S. has imposed sanctions on eight more Venezuelan officials. For more, we're joined by NPR's Philip Reeves, who's in Caracas. Hi, Phil. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Hi. CHANG: So who exactly do these sanctions target, and what will the sanctions do? REEVES: Well, these are mostly officials who the U.S. say were involved in organizing the creation of the constitutional assembly here. This new assembly was created by Maduro to rewrite the constitution. It started work at the end of last week. It's already kicked out theU.S. Imposes New Sanctions On Venezuelan Officialshttp://ktep.org/post/us-imposes-new-sanctions-venezuelan-officials
113131 as http://ktep.orgThu, 10 Aug 2017 09:00:00 +0000U.S. Imposes New Sanctions On Venezuelan OfficialsPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit AILSA CHANG, HOST: There has been more unrest in Venezuela following a disputed assembly election last week. Yesterday, a group of men in uniforms raided a military base near the country's third largest city, Valencia. President Nicolas Maduro called it a terrorist attack - his words. Two men are dead. And now NPR's Philip Reeves is in Caracas with us. Hi, Phil. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Hi. CHANG: So this is not the first attack we've seen in recent weeks by someone in uniform, right? REEVES: Yes. You'll remember that six weeks ago, a police pilot and part-time movie actor stole a helicopter and took off over Caracas and attacked the Supreme Court and the interior ministry with machine guns and grenades. So, no, it isn't first time. But this time, we've got a band of men who've gone into a military base. And, you know, the issue is whether this actually is a military group of people inspired by a desire to foment an uprising within the armed forcesAnti-Government Fighters In Venezuela Attack Army Basehttp://ktep.org/post/anti-government-fighters-venezuela-attack-army-base
112929 as http://ktep.orgMon, 07 Aug 2017 09:04:00 +0000Anti-Government Fighters In Venezuela Attack Army BasePhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit STACEY VANEK SMITH, HOST: News out of Venezuela over the past several months has been chaotic and grim. Protests and violence there have become a daily reality. This morning, we got reports of a possible military uprising in the Venezuelan city of Valencia. The protest was meant to restore constitutional order, according to one uniformed man on a video posted to social media. But Venezuelan officials said security forces successfully beat back what they called a, quote, "terrorist attack." This all comes after the disputed election and formation of a new legislative super body aligned with President Nicolas Maduro. NPR's Philip Reeves is in Venezuela. He joins us now. Hi, Philip. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Hi. SMITH: So tell us, what's happening in Valencia? REEVES: Well, this all started very early this morning at around 4:30 a.m., well before dawn. Residents in Valencia started hearing shooting. They heard a lot of shooting. Government officialsVenezuela Crisis Latest: Venezuelan Troops Quash Attempted Anti-Government Attackhttp://ktep.org/post/venezuela-crisis-latest-reports-militant-uprising
112914 as http://ktep.orgSun, 06 Aug 2017 22:46:00 +0000Venezuela Crisis Latest: Venezuelan Troops Quash Attempted Anti-Government AttackPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Brazil's president faces a big vote in the country's Congress today. The lower chamber will vote on whether to suspend Michel Temer from the job, which would allow Brazil's Supreme Court to put him on trial for corruption, just like his predecessor. NPR's Philip Reeves gets to live amid all of this. He's in Rio de Janeiro. Hi, Phil. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Hi. INSKEEP: Do people where you are believe this is happening again? REEVES: Well, it's not exactly the same. It's important to remember that Dilma Rousseff, his predecessor, was impeached for budgetary irregularities. And in this case, we're talking about a charge of corruption, accepting very big bribes for helping out a big - a giant meatpacking corporation. What happened was that one of Temer's closest aides was caught on video with the equivalent of $150,000 in cash in a briefcase. And the attorney general argues that that money was destined for Temer, and it was one ofBrazil's Congress Votes On Removing Presidenthttp://ktep.org/post/brazils-congress-votes-removing-president
112635 as http://ktep.orgWed, 02 Aug 2017 09:01:00 +0000Brazil's Congress Votes On Removing PresidentPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: This weekend, Venezuela will hold a highly contentious election. It will create an assembly with the power to write a new constitution. Many believe it's a move by the president, Nicolas Maduro, to establish a full dictatorship. Venezuela's economy has crashed. It has acute shortages of food and medicine, and hundreds of thousands have emigrated. NPR's Philip Reeves says the election is adding to the crisis. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Four months have passed since the latest wave of anti-government protests began in Venezuela. Maduro's plan to create a constituent assembly is making these still more intense. This week, Venezuela was paralyzed by strikes and protests. Fearful of completely losing control, the government's banned all demonstrations for the next few days. The election's on Sunday. Many view it as a tool to keep the deeply unpopular Maduro in power. PAULO WROBEL: It's a sort of a constitutional coup. REEVES: PauloVenezuelan Election Looms Amid Fears of Dictatorship http://ktep.org/post/venezuelans-prepare-vote-constitutional-referendum
112385 as http://ktep.orgFri, 28 Jul 2017 21:17:00 +0000Venezuelan Election Looms Amid Fears of Dictatorship Philip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: A months-long confrontation in Venezuela is intensifying over elections scheduled for this weekend. The opposition is boycotting what it says will be a rigged vote organized by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Today the White House added its voice to those calling for the vote to be canceled, and it sanctioned Venezuelans involved with it. NPR's Philip Reeves joins us from Rio, where he's following the lead-up to Sunday's Venezuelan vote. And, Phil, Venezuela has a sitting president, has a Congress. The vote is something new. Who's being elected? PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Well, this is to create a new body called a constituent assembly. That body would have the power to rewrite the Constitution. And that's something that Nicolas Maduro, the president, has for some time said that he wants to happen. His opponents say that a new constitution could well lead to the cancelation of elections. It might also mean that Congress getsTrump Places Sanctions On 13 Venezuelan Officialshttp://ktep.org/post/trump-places-sanctions-13-venezuelan-officials
112210 as http://ktep.orgWed, 26 Jul 2017 21:00:00 +0000Trump Places Sanctions On 13 Venezuelan OfficialsPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Venezuela's opposition staged a vote yesterday. And one of the questions was, should President Nicolas Maduro convene an assembly to rewrite the country's constitution? In this informal vote, 98 percent of those who showed up said no. Maduro's party has also done badly in real elections lately amid protests over shortages of food and jobs. NPR's Philip Reeves has been covering this story. Hi, Philip. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Hi. INSKEEP: What's a symbolic vote like this show? REEVES: Well, I think it clearly states that Maduro is as deeply unpopular as he's long been thought to be. And it shows that, as the polls have suggested - that Venezuelans are overwhelmingly against the idea of establishing a constitutional assembly that will rewrite the constitution. It's a large number. Seven million took part in this. That's nearly a third of the number actually registered to vote. About 10 percent of them voted overseas - expatriateMillions Of Venezuelans Reject Plans To Retool The Constitutionhttp://ktep.org/post/millions-venezuelans-reject-presidents-plan-retool-constitution
111604 as http://ktep.orgMon, 17 Jul 2017 09:01:00 +0000Millions Of Venezuelans Reject Plans To Retool The ConstitutionPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: People in Venezuela are voting in a referendum today. It's largely symbolic, yet it is about an issue of crucial importance to the country which has seen almost daily anti-government protests over the past three and a half months in which nearly 100 people have been killed. And at least one person has reportedly been killed during the voting today. We're joined on the line now by NPR's South America correspondent, Philip Reeves. Thanks for joining us, Philip. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: You're welcome. MARTIN: So what is this referendum for, and does it have any actual legal force, any binding impact? REEVES: No, it doesn't have any legal force. And indeed, the government is describing it as that. Illegal and irrelevant is the word they're using. It's been organized by Venezuela's opposition parties. And it's about President Nicolas Maduro's plan to establish a constituent assembly, to rewrite the constitution of the country. TheVenezuela's Opposition To Vote On Symbolic Referendum Against Consitution Rewritehttp://ktep.org/post/venezuelas-opposition-vote-symbolic-referendum-against-consitution-rewrite
111583 as http://ktep.orgSun, 16 Jul 2017 21:23:00 +0000Venezuela's Opposition To Vote On Symbolic Referendum Against Consitution RewritePhilip ReevesFernando Rojas is holding up a photograph of a pocket of countryside, between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountains, that has been his home, his livelihood, and his passion for all of his 74 years. His picture shows a lake, brimming with water, in front of a range of hills that are silhouetted by the sun. In the foreground, by the water's edge, there's a small boat, ready to set sail. Next to that, there's a wooden jetty, jutting out into the waves. You would hardly know that this image, taken in Chile just a few years ago, is of the same depleted landscape on which Rojas is now standing, grim-faced, puzzled and — he says — full of sadness. Most of the water has gone. The jetty is marooned in a sea of mud and grass. Beside it, there is a new wire fence, erected to keep out horses and cattle that are grazing on the lake's bed. Some boats are still there, stored away under canvas. What water is left in the lake is in the hazy distance — about half of a mile away, a languid puddle,In Chile, Many Regard Climate Change As The Greatest External Threathttp://ktep.org/post/chile-many-regard-climate-change-greatest-external-threat
111560 as http://ktep.orgSun, 16 Jul 2017 10:41:00 +0000In Chile, Many Regard Climate Change As The Greatest External ThreatPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been convicted of corruption. He's been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison. Right now he's free pending appeal. Lula denies that he has done anything wrong. He claims the charges are politically motivated. The case is part of a sprawling corruption investigation involving Brazil's elite. NPR's Philip Reeves is on the line from Rio de Janeiro. Hi, Phil. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Hi. SHAPIRO: What's the reaction there to Lula's conviction? REEVES: Very divided, actually. Lula's opponents are delighted, of course, and they've been saying so in large numbers on social media. But Lula still enjoys very significant support here. He's been a giant on the political scenes for decades. And when he left office at the end of 2010, his popularity rating was over 80 percent. He was president at a prosperous time. And his supporters tend to revere him as this kind of working-classBrazil's Former President Lula Sentenced To Prison For Corruptionhttp://ktep.org/post/brazils-former-president-lula-sentenced-prison-corruption
111340 as http://ktep.orgWed, 12 Jul 2017 20:35:00 +0000Brazil's Former President Lula Sentenced To Prison For CorruptionPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: NPR's Phil Reeves went to a historic market in Santiago, Chile, in search of a significant stiff - a signature stiff drink. He found it, and he sent us this audio postcard. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: There is in the middle of Santiago a little gem. This is it. It's the Mercado Central, or Central Market. This is the place to come when you want to eat fish. I'm also here for another reason. I want to experience an Earthquake - more about that in a minute. The Mercado Central has a beautiful 19th century cast iron roof like a giant lantern. The pieces for this structure were made in Britain. The roof dates back to the Industrial Revolution. Beneath that iron roof these days are cafes and restaurants. Customers are tucking into crab and clams and salmon and bowls of fish head soup. There are stalls selling sea urchins, octopus, conger eels and lots of other delicacies gleaned from Chile's two and a half thousand-mile coastline. It'sIn Santiago, Chile, Searching For A Drink That Makes You Weak At The Kneeshttp://ktep.org/post/santiago-chile-searching-drink-makes-you-weak-knees
110992 as http://ktep.orgThu, 06 Jul 2017 20:31:00 +0000In Santiago, Chile, Searching For A Drink That Makes You Weak At The KneesPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit KELLY MCEVERS, HOST: Brazil has some of the world's most troubled prisons. They're severely overcrowded, there's disease. This year alone, more than 130 inmates have been killed in gang-related warfare. And prisoners regularly attempt to tunnel to freedom. NPR's Philip Reeves says there's another way out. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: (Speaking Portuguese). PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: About 30 men are sitting behind desks in a classroom. They're writing with pens and paper. The teacher is standing up front issuing instructions. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: (Speaking Portuguese). REEVES: We could be in any school anywhere but for a couple of details. One, a wall of iron bars separates the teacher from her class. Two, the paper each man's writing could win him a little bit of his life back. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: (Speaking Portuguese). REEVES: These are inmates in a giant penitentiary in southern Brazil called the Casa de Custodia de Piraquara. They're wearing soft orangeIn Brazil, Some Inmates Are Using A Novel Way To Get Out Of Prison Earlierhttp://ktep.org/post/brazil-some-inmates-are-using-novel-way-get-out-prison-earlier
110854 as http://ktep.orgTue, 04 Jul 2017 20:48:00 +0000In Brazil, Some Inmates Are Using A Novel Way To Get Out Of Prison EarlierPhilip ReevesCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit KELLY MCEVERS, HOST: Hearings begin in Brazil tonight that could eventually bring down the president. Michel Temer is accused of election campaign violations. He's already struggling to keep his job because of a major corruption scandal. NPR's Philip Reeves reports from the capital, Brasilia. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: To get a sense of the mood here, step into the fun fair. Pedro Braga is here to get away for an hour or two from the political tension that's engulfed this city. PEDRO BRAGA: (Speaking Portuguese). REEVES: "If you don't have a little fun," says Braga, "you go nuts." BRAGA: (Speaking Portuguese). REEVES: "Because," he says, "politics in Brazil is just like a roller coaster." A roller coaster that only ever goes downhill. For weeks, Brazil's been gripped by speculation that President Temer's roller coaster presidency is about to crash. Braga, who's a business manager and has a small kid, finds the uncertainty frightening. Michel TemerBrazil's President Remains Defiant As His Corruption Trial Beginshttp://ktep.org/post/brazils-president-remains-defiant-his-corruption-trial-begins
109091 as http://ktep.orgTue, 06 Jun 2017 20:34:00 +0000Brazil's President Remains Defiant As His Corruption Trial Begins